Antenna



y 5, 1944- 'H. H. HARSTED 2,354,314

ANTENNA Filed Jan. 25, 1943 2.1 III" II III I'll mg Patented July25,1944

um'rao srA'rEs- PATENT. omca ANTENNA Harry II. Harsted, Chicago, Ill.,asc'ignor to Gephart Manufacturing 00., Chicago, 111., a corporation ofIllinois Application January 25, 1943, Serial a... 413,492

'1 Claims. (01. 287-20) This invention relates, in general, to antennaof the type generally .employed with aircraft, and which is usuallyattached to the wing in a position preferably to depend therefrom, andbeing when the antenna proper becomes broken or damaged, it may bereadily removed or detached from its supporting base or anchor, andanother one substituted therefor, while the base portion thereof remainsattached or secured in position.

A, further object is to provide an improved antenna of this character,which is preferably hollow and shaped to provide an air foil, wherebythe speed of advancement of the aircraft to which it is attached, willnot be impaired or interfered with. 1

A further object is to provide an improved mounting for antenna of thischaracter, which may b readily attached to bases that are now in use,and which bases are already attached to the aircraft, without removingthe base.

To the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other new anduseful objects as will appear, the invention consists in the features ofnovelty in substantially the construction, combination and arrangementof the several parts, hereinafter more fully described and claimed andshown in the accompanying drawing illustrating this invention, and inwhich Fig, l is a view of a portion of the wing of an aircraft, havingan antenna constructed in accordance with the principles of thisinvention attached thereto, and with a portion of the wing broken away.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the antenna, detached from the wing.

Fig. 3- is an end elevation of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken on line4-4, Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view taken on line 5-5, Fig. 4, with partsomitted.

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view takenon line 88, Fig, 4.

Fig. 'l is an elevation of the connecting member which is disposedbetween the base and the adjacent end of the antenna element.

The antenna consists, essentially, of a base, here shown as comprisingthe members It and II, constructed of any' suitable material, preferablyinsulating material. In the form of the invention shown, thesetwoelements are constructed separately, 'so that the section II may bereadily applied to the section it when the I antenna element is brokenor removed, and which section III remains secured to the wing I! of theaircraft. Obviously, the sections l0 and II may be formed integral, tobe applied initially to the wing.

When these elements are formed separately, there may be provided aprojection II on one of the elements, whichsenters a recess H in theother element, so as to maintain these elements against rotation onewith respect to the other.

The element II is provided with a recess l5 which opens through the sideof the element,

and the bottom of the recess is provided with an opening It therethroughto receive a belt or screw ll that has threaded engagement with theelement N. This bolt I1 is preferably provided with a head ll to form ashoulder It that rests upon the base of the recess It, so that when thebolt is screwed into the element ill, the shoulder l9 will draw theelement ii tightly against the element ill and secure the same together,the projection l3 entering the recess l4 co-operating therewith, tomaintain the elements against relative rotation.

The numeral 20 designates a mast or antenna element proper, which ispreferably hollow and is of an oval or elliptical configuration incrosssection, to provide an air foil, and this element 20 iscomparatively thin with respect to its width.

The element may be of any desired length, and

' preferably tapers from its base to the tip thereof.

, The bottom of the element 20 is closed by a wall 2| which is providedwith a screw-threaded opening 22.

The element i I of the base is preferably tapered from the bottomthereof towards the top, and in the top surface thereof is providedarecess 23 on each side of the opening or recess I5. These recesses 23have communication with the recess ii.

A connecting member 24 is provided with extensions 15, 26 extending fromthe top and bottom thereof, and these extensions are provided, re-

spectively, with threads 21, 28 which run in opposite directions. Theextension 26 is threaded into the base wall 2| of the antenna element20, and

the extension 25 is threaded into an opening Z'I in the headll of thescrew or bolt I1, the body of the connection being of such an externaldiameter that it will flt within the recess or opening l5, and is of adiameter slightly greater than the thickness of the wall of the portionof the element II which is adjacent the opening I5.

In assembling or connecting the antenna ele-' ment III with the basemember 1 l, the extension 2. of the connecting member 24 is firstthreaded tenna element.

into the opening 22 in the base wall 2| of the an- The element is thenpositioned with respect to the base member It, so that the extension 25on the member 24 will enter the threaded opening 21' in the bolt ormember II, the member 24 entering the recess l5.

By then holding the element in position with respect to the, base, androtating the member 24, the extension 25 will be threaded into the boltI1, and, at the same time, the extension 26 will operate to draw uponthe element 20 to cause its end -2l to enter and be seated in therecesses 23 in the base member'l I. If desired, a fastening screw l8 maybe provided and threaded into the base member H to engage the peripheryof the member 24. This member 24 may also be recessed, as at 29, so asto fit over the head I! of the screw or bolt ll when the parts arebrought in close proximity.

In assembling the parts, it will be manifest that inasmuch as therecess. 15 opens through the sides of the base member I I, access may bereadily had to the connecting member 24 to rotate it, and to facilitatesuch rotation the periphery of the member 24 may, if desired, beknurled, or

latter against rotation with respect to the base, the said means alsoembodyin a rotatable member interposed between the base and the adjacentend of said mast, extensions projecting from.

opposite faces of said member andrespectively engaging said mast andhaving connection with said base, and threads on said extensions runningin opposite directions.

3. Antenna embodying a base, means for anchoring the base, an antennamast, means dechoring the base, an antenna mast, means demanifest thatshould the antenna element 20 which is already secured to the aircraftwing,

without removing the base, and, in that event,

all that is necessary is to provide a recess H to receive theprojectionIS on the member H to hold the latter against rotation, the two beingsecured together by the bolt or screw ll.

However, in the manufacture of this device,

' and where it is to be initially applied to the wing,

these members Ill and I I, as before stated, may be formed as anintegral structure. Being in the shape of an oval or ellipse incross-section, the antenna will form an air foil, and the speed oftravel of the aircraft will not be interfered with.

While in the present form of the invention the antenna is shown, in use,as being attached and dependent from the aircraft wing, it is to beunderstood that the same may be applied in any position desired, andwhile the preferred form and construction is herein. shown anddescribed, it is to be understood that various changes may be made inthe details of construction, and in the tachably securing the said mastby one end to said base, means embodying telescoping portions of saidbase and said mast for maintaining the latter against rotation withrespect to the base, said base comprising sections, means for securingsaid sections together, and interlocking means between the sections ofthe base for maintaining said sections against relative rotation.

5. Antenna embodying a base, an antenna mast, a connecting-memberprovided with two sets of threads, said member being disposed betweensaid base and the adjacent end of said mast and having threadedengagement with the choring the base, an antenna mast, means detachablysecuring said mast by one end to said base, and means associated withsaid base whereby said mast'will be maintained against rotationwith-respectto the base, the first said means embodying mechanismdisposed between the base mast and a connection with the base, one setof threads running in one direction and the other set of threads runningin the opposite direction,

said connecting member being housed within the 1 base, said base havingone or more openings whereby access may be had to said member tomanipulate the same said base being of sectional construction, and meansembodying interlocking portions between said base sections for securingthem together against relative rotation.

6. An aircraft antenna embodying a base comprising two members, meansfor separably secur-.

base member will be held against relative rota-- tion, and means forsecuring the mast and the last said base member together.

'7. An aircraft antenna embodying a base comprising two members,meansfor separably securingsaid members together, interlocking meansbetween said base members for maintaining them against relativerotation, an antenna mast one end .of which abuts one of said basemembers, the abutting faces of said mast and said base member beingprovided, one with a recess irregular in cross-section and the otherwith a portion projecting into and conforming to said recess, wherebythe mast and the last said base member will be held against relativerotation, and means for securing the mast and the last said base membertogether.

HARRY H. HARS'I'ED.

